Chapter 207 — Sickly Green
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
The words burst out in his indignation, jarringly abrupt, and under Dou Yan's gaze Song Yan felt his heart pound like a drum.
The hot blood gradually cooled, his thoughts gradually settled, and calm and reason returned to his body, making him reflect in detail on his earlier impulse... yet the more he thought, the more he felt that marrying Dou this one was a splendid idea!
At the very least, his birth was more distinguished than Wei Fan's, his talents more outstanding than Wei Fan's; in the eyes of the noble ladies of the capital, he was a far more sought-after catch than Wei Fan.
What retaliation could compare to marrying a husband who surpassed the former betrothed in every way!
This match alone would be enough to silence the malicious jeers and rumors aimed at Dou Chi!
Song Yan was instantly elated.
His grip on Dou Yan's arm tightened: "Dou Yan, marry me! I'll treat you well, give a fine show to all those who dared look down on you, make them all regret slighting you!"
Let him be the one to bring Dou Zhiwei honor and glory.
The faint pain in her arm quickly brought Dou Yan back to herself, and she could not help glancing toward Suxin.
Suxin's eyes were wide, her face full of shock.
Only then did Dou Chi dare believe she had not been hearing things.
It seemed Song Yan already knew about the substitute bride.
She could not help asking, "How did you know the bride wasn't me?"
Dou Yan had sent Sulan over there to gather news; had Wei Fan discovered the switch during the bowing ceremony, she would certainly have heard at once, and the Dou family could not have remained so calm.
Song Yan recounted how it had all happened.
Dou Yan's heart was a tangle of feelings, and she could not tell what flavor it was.
Song Ke had only seen her a few times, and Wei Fan was her betrothed... She and Dou Ming were one tall, one short, with not the slightest resemblance in appearance, yet Song Yan had seen from a few movements alone that the bride was not her—while Wei Fan, at this hour, ought already to have entered the bridal chamber...
She was speechless for a moment.
Song Sui urged her: "What do you think?"
Dou Chi could not help feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Do you think this is children playing house?" she scolded him with a light laugh. "Wei Fan married my sister, so I must find someone of nobler birth, loftier station, handsomer face, and greater ability than he to marry? I have my own life to live. Why should I compete with them out of spite?"
Song Yan opened his mouth, and for a long while said nothing.
Dou Yan, did she truly think so?
To think herself nobler in birth, loftier in station, handsomer in face, and greater in ability than Wei Fan...
Such thinking was far too shallow!
.
Yet within that disdain there was also a faint delight that left him slightly intoxicated.
Song Yan hastily pressed the feeling down into the depths of his heart and said, somewhat clumsily covering his tracks, "Then what do you propose?" Thinking of the words he had overheard by accident, and unable to speak ill of Dou Huaiying before Dou Zhiwei, he could only remind Dou Yan: "Are you really still planning to stay at home and take a live-in husband?"
Dou Yan hesitated for a moment.
Since Song Yan had dared in his last life to kill his father and brothers, and in this life dared to stand in open defiance of his father, plainly he was not, at heart, a man who followed the rules.
"I do indeed intend to stay at home!" she said frankly. "But I've never thought of taking a live-in husband." She teased herself with a smile: "I plan to stay in the Dou family forever, as a meddlesome old maiden aunt!"